Nikola Tesla invented a one-way valve, now known as the “Tesla Valve,” which he patented in 1920 as U.S. Pat. No. 1,329,559, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. The Tesla Valve has no moving parts. Our FIG. 1 is a copy of FIG. 1 from Tesla's patent, showing a cross section of the channel through which fluid (by which term we mean a gas, liquid, or gas/liquid mix) flows. The description of Tesla's reference numbers will not be repeated here. Baffles and circuitous pathways inhibit flow to the right, while in the direction of the arrow 101, fluid can move relatively freely.
The Tesla Valve is, in effect, a fluid flow diode. A number of variations of the Tesla Valve have been created, that all apply the same fluid flow principle. When we use the term “Tesla Valve”, we will mean the original Tesla valve or any one of these or similar variations.